Three persons fall in drug busts

By Jennifer P. Rendon and Glazyl Y. Masculino

The illegal drug trade in Western Visayas continues to thrive amid the bloody drug war of the government

A 35-year-old man was arrested in an anti-illegal drug operation early morning of Oct 21, 2021 in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Joeknef Capero, 35, a resident of Barangay Tacas, Jaro, Iloilo City was collared after selling a sachet of suspected shabu for P11,000 to a police poseur-buyer.

Members of the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 6 (RPDEU-6), together with operatives of the Iloilo City Police Station 3, the Regional Highway Patrol Unit 6 (RHPU-6), and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 6 (CIDG-6)’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Team led the operation around 3:15 a.m. Thursday at Villa Consolacion, Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro.

Police operatives seized from Capero a coin purse containing 14 sachets of suspected shabu, the P11,000 marked money, and a mobile phone.

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Anthony Darroca, RPDEU-6 chief, said that the seized drugs were valued at P170,000.

Although he had no prior drug-related arrest, the RPDEU-6 considered the suspect to be a high-value individual (HVI) drug personality.

“He got his supply from those who sourced their illegal drugs from Munti (National Bilibid Prison),” he said.

Darroca said illegal drug dealers have been looking for the likes of Capero with no previous drug records and arrest to peddle drugs for them.

“Those with previous records could be easily tracked. That’s why, they prefer new faces,” he said.

Capero caught the police’s attention in August 2021 after an arrested drug pusher pointed to him as his source.

Since then, RPDEU-6 operatives were able to conduct three test buys with Capero before the actual operation on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Darroca said they’re still digging records to ascertain if the suspect had been involved in a murder case.

Capero is now detained and would be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).

In Bacolod City, Drug charges are being readied against a couple who was arrested in a buy-bust at their rented house in Barangay Binicuil, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental last Wednesday.

Police identified the suspects as Erly Chim Sta. Ana, 36, and his live-in partner Graham Talaban, 27, both residents of the said city.

Police Lieutenant Dennis Melgarejo, deputy police chief of Kabankalan City Police Station, said they placed the couple under monitoring for about a month, following reports of their alleged illegal activity.

Police recovered from the couple about 35 grams of suspected shabu worth P238,000, drug paraphernalia, the P100 marked money, and P2,640.

Melgarejo said the two suspects were street level individuals. In fact, Sta. Ana had previously surrendered to the authorities through Oplan Tokhang, he added.

“Ginagmay lang ila gina baligya sa mga upper barangays in the city, and neighboring areas like Himamaylan City,” he said.

Melgarejo said they are probing the sources of the recovered contraband.